Tied Up

 Day's Saints
Vincent of Saragossa, Martyr
Blessed Giuseppe Nacimbeni, Franciscan

Gospel
Mk 3:22-30
The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus,
"He is possessed by Beelzebul," and
"By the prince of demons he drives out demons."
Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables,
"How can Satan drive out Satan?
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
And if a house is divided against itself,
that house will not be able to stand.
And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided,
he cannot stand;
that is the end of him.
But no one can enter a strong man's house to plunder his property
unless he first ties up the strong man.
Then he can plunder his house.  
Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies
that people utter will be forgiven them.
But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
will never have forgiveness,
but is guilty of an everlasting sin."
For they had said, "He has an unclean spirit."

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Beware, and pay heed to what He says about how a house is plundered; the thief must first tie up, restrain or incapacitate a person before he can help himself to his property.

For us, it is a warning equally applicable, concerning our treasure. We cannot be blinded or bound by evil without our consent, and he knows enough tricks to bind many, and without the mercy of the Lord, they cannot be freed. One may implore the Lord to be freed and do penance to atone for sins, and gain His favor. But do not wait to act, lest you be called before Him and must explain, for what can you says but " I have sinned in your sight and I ask your mercy", as you work to atone. He may allow us to do more when we have stood before Him by way of purgation in suffering because we are not rejoined to Him to remain forever.

Pray for one another, and do not hesitate to do penances for each other, for such a kindness deserves a considerable blessing. If you suffer, do not hesitate to use it to advantage for souls, for you will earn no punishment that way, but rather your eyes will be cleansed so you may see Him clearly, a blessing much desired by holy souls.

Do not be startled or dismayed by what evil men say to gain power over people so that they may plunder and ravage and do all sorts of evil. Those who do such things are anti-Christs, and God gives them no power. Nations might be annihilated, but the children of God will be protected by God, while the enemy is being cast into the shouldering depths of hell. If their sins are revealed to all, they are to be shunned as the evil they are.